During assembling of a vehicle, it is desirable to align components to form a uniform gap, particularly between exterior body panels and components. Achieving acceptable fit and finish often depends on the skill and judgment of the operator on the assembly line. The difficulty in aligning components can be compounded by the limited time available on the assembly line to perform the fitting operation. A particular problem has been identified by the applicant when fitting tail lamps and the rear bumper since these components are arranged in a stacked configuration. The tail lamp is aligned in relation to a body panel and the bumper must then be aligned in relation to the tail lamp.
At least in certain embodiments, the present invention seeks to provide a method and apparatus that facilitates mounting of the bumper and tail lamps.